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H. P. BASSETT.

CONTINUOUS ACTION RE'TORT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. 11. 1918.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

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CONTINUOUS ACTION RETORT. APPLICATION FILED SEPT-11.1918.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

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CONTINUOUS ACTION RETORT.

APPLICATION FILED SEPT. n, ma.

atentd Sept. 2, 1919.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3- amen STATES PATENT OFFICE.

HARRY P. BASSETT, OF CYNTHIANA, ILENTUCKY, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TOCURTIS C. MEIGS, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA, AND ONE-THIRD T0CLARENCE L. PARKER, OF WASHINGTON, DISTRICT OF COLUMBIA.

CONTINUOUS-ACTION RETORT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Sept. 2, 1919.

Application filed September 17, 1918. Serial No. 254,435.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, HARRY P. BASSETT, a,

citizen of the United States, residing at Cynthiana, in the county ofHarrison and State of Kentucky, have invented certain new and usefulImprovements in Continuous-Action Retorts, of which the following is aspecification.

This invention relates to rotary retorts.

wherein solids are heated either for the purpose of distillation or tosubject gases or vapors to the action of solids heated therein.

Retorts of this character are subject to the disadvantage that theiraction is not continuous. From time to time their operation must bestopped, the contents removed and the retorts recharged. Aside from thetrouble and expense incident to discharging and recharging the retorts,their operation must be continued at undiminished expense for heat afterthe maximum efiiciency of the charge is past by reason of its becomingpartiall spent, or the contents of the retort remove while a portion ofit is still adapted for further treatment, thereby adding materially tothe cost of the operation.

This invention is designed to overcome these disadvantages by providingrotary retorts of the character referred to, with means whereby thespent contents are automatically and continuously removed and the actionof the retort made continuous.

Other objects and advantages of the invention will be apparent duringthe course of the following description.

In the drawings forming a part of this specification and in which likenumerals are employed to designate like parts throughout the same,

Figure 1 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional view throughapparatus embodying my invention,

Fig. 2 is an enlarged transverse yertical sectional view taken on line2-2 of Fig. 1, and,

Fig. 3 is a central vertical longitudinal sectional View through aslightly different form of apparatus.

Attention being called to Figs. 1 to 3 inclusive, the numeral 5designates the heating chamber of the apparatus, WlllCh may be formed ofrefractory material and arranged within a casing 6. The heating chamber5 discharges at its lower end into a fire-box 7, having a grate 8, withan ash pit 9 therebeneath. Fuel, such as coal or the like, is fed intothe fire-box 7 through an opening 10 which may be covered by a suitabledoor (not shown). The products of combustion escape from the heatingchamber 5 through openings 11, arranged in the top thereof. Theseopenings discharge into longitudinal passages 12, having communicationwith passages 13, leading to a stack 14.

The numeral 15 designates a horizontal rotatable drum or receptacledisposed within the heating chamber 5. In each form of the invention,the drum 15 has its forward end closed by a head 16, rigidly securedtherein. This head .is provided near its periphery with an openin 17covered by a plate 18, secured thereto y an suitable means. A

neck or tube 19 is rigid y secured to the plate 18, and referably formedintegral therewith. his tube projects througln a stationary bearingsleeve 20, rigidly secured to the casing 6. Hearing elements or rollers21 are carried within the sleeve 20, and serve to rotatably support thetube v19.

The tube 19 serves to rotate or drive the drum 15 and has a worm wheel22 rigidly secured thereto. This worm wheel is inclosed within a casing23. The worm wheel 22 receives its rotation from a worm 24, inclosedwithin the lower portion of the casing 23, and driven by a shaft 25,receiving its power from any suitable source.

At its opposite or rear end, the drum 15, has a second head 26, rigidlysecured therein. This head is provided centrally thereof with a tube orneck 27, preferably formed integral therewith. The tube or neck 27contacts with bearing elements or rollers 29, which are carried within abearing sleeve 30, rigidly secured to the casing 6, as shown. From theforegoing description, it is apparent that the opposite ends of the drum15 are rotatably supported, and that means are provided to rotate thedrum.

The principal feature of the invention consists in the provision ofmeans for conttinuously removing the spent material from 15, whichmaterial during the continuous the drum 15, during its rotation, andwith-. out stopping the same. Such means comprises a circular plate 31,extending transverse-l v slight y spaced from the head 26, providing aradially extending space 32. The plate with. The plate 31 is provided atequidis-- tantly spaced intervals with openings 36, substantiallysemi-circular, and having their larger portions arranged substantiallyflush with the inneresurface of the annular flange 35, as shown. Theopenings 36 serve to permit the spent solid material within the drumagitation thereof caused by the rotation of the drum gravitates to thelower portion of the drum, to pass into the radial space 32: The drum 15is rotated in the direction of the arrow in Fig. 2, and this spent solidmaterial within the space 32 is caught by curved or spiral vanes 37rigidly attached to the plate 31. These vanes are arranged approximatelyradially of the plate 31, and accordingly feed the solid material to thecentral portion of the plate. The upper or inner portions of these vanesare also transversely inclined, and diverge outwardly,

thereby serving to deflect or elevate solid material into and through astationary tubular chute 38, mounted within the rotatable tube 27. Thischute is secured to a stationary'plate 39, in turn attached to thebearing sleeve 29. The plate 39 has an opening 40, for placing the chute38 into communication withan inclined chute 41-, preferably leading to aclosed or hermetically sealed chamber (not shown). 7

The foregoing construction is common to both modifications of theinvention d I will noW describe the construction, em odying the feedingmeans, which is specific to the first .form of the invention, andillustrated inFig. 1.

Arranged within the tube 19 is a stationary member 42, having a lowerinlet bore 43 and an upper outlet bore 44. At its inner end, the member42 has a flange 45, secured thereto, slidaby contacting with the innerend of the tube 19, as shown. A stationary head 46 is provided upon itsinner face with an annular groove 47, slidably receiving the forwardreduced end of the sleeve 19. This stationary head is secured to themember 42 by any suitable means.

within the drum 15, near and The coupling 48 is connected with themember 42 and in free communication with the bore 46. Connected with theouter end of the coupling 48 is an elbow 49, having connection with avalve casing 50, connected with a hopper 51. This hopper is supported bysuitable means, as shown at 52 and 53.

A rotatable feed valve or star-wheel 54 is mounted within the valvecasing 50 and may be driven by any suitable means to intermittently feedthe solid material from the hopper 51 at any desired rate into the elbow49. A spiral conveyer 55 operates within the bore 43, and serves to feedthe connected with the stationary plate 46 and has communication withthe bore 44. This elbow is connected with an outlet conduit 59, having avalve 60, connected therein.

In the embodiment of my invention shown in Fig. 3, astationary head 61slidably engages the outer end of the sleeve 19, and. this head isequipped with openings 62, 63 and 64. A conveyer conduit 65 extendsthrough the opening 64, and fits within an opening formed in and nearplate 67 slidably engaging the tube 19.. A conveyer.

conduit 65 receives a spiral conveyer 68, carried by a shaft 69, drivenby a pulley 70. The conveyer conduit 65 receives solid material from avalve casing 71, having a rotatable valve or star wheel 72 therein. Thevalve casing 71 is secured to the lower end of a hopper 73, suitablysupported, as shown at 74 and 75.

The gas or vapor to be treated by the solid material is fed through apipe 76, having connection with a horizontal pipe 77, ex-

tending through the. opening 63 and an opening 78 in the plate 67. Thepipe 77 extends centrally and longitudinally within the drum 15. Thepipe 76 is equipped with a cut-off valve 79; An outlet pipe 80 isequipped with a cut-ofl valve 81, and is connected with apipe 82, whichextends through the openings 63 and through-an opening 83 in the plate78. v

The operation of the first embodiment of my apparatus is as follows:

The solid material to be heated ordistilled, such as calcium acetate isfed from the hopper 57 as intermittently and-as rapidly as desired, bymeans of the rotatable valve 54, into the conveyer conduit and propelledforwardly by the spiral conveyer 55. This material is discharged intothe drum 15, wherein it is subjected to distillation. The gases to becollected escape through the bore 44 and pass into the pipe 59, and disI valve 60. During the rotation of the drum 15, the used or spentportions of the solid material gravitate to the lower ortion thereof andpass through the openlngs 36 into the radial space 32. This solid spentmaterial is carried upwardly by the vanes I 37 and discharges into thechute 38, from which it passes into theinclined chute 41.

The. form of apparatus shown in Fig. 3 is designed for treating gases orvapors, such for example as the vapors of sulfur containing oils to theaction of solid materials or reagents such for example as iron oxid,fragmentar iron bodies such as chips, or turnings, or t e like, in theresence of heat. In the operation of this orm of ,apparatus, thegasesoivapors to be treated are passed into the revolving drum 15through pipe 77. The solid material is fed from the hopper 73 into theconveyor conduit 65, by means of the rotatable valve "(2 The spiralconveyer 58 feeds this material into the rotatable drum. The treatedgases or vapors pass -throu h the pipe 82 and through pipe 80, when t evalve 81 is opened. he spent or used solid material, such as iron sulfidwhere the'retort is employed in the removal of sulfur or sulfurcompounds from petroleum oils, gravitates to the lower portion of thedrum 15, and is removed therefrom, as indicated in connection with thefirst form of my apparatus. It is-to be understood that the forms of myinvention herewith shown and described are to be taken as preferredexamples of the same, and that various changes in the shape, size andarrangement of parts may to-without departing from the subjoined c aims.

Having thus describtd my invention, I

claim 1.- In apparatus of the character described,

' a drum provided at one end with anoutlet opening near the centralportion of the same, means toheat the drum, means to rotate the drum,means to feed material to the drum, and approximately radial vanesarranged within the drum near the outlet thereof-and connected with thedrum for ro-' tation therewith, said vanes extending from points nearthe outer ortion "of the drum to a point near the out et, the inner endsof a the vanesbeing inclined laterally and diverging outwardly towardthe outlet.

2. In apparatus of the character described, a 'drum provided at one endwith an outlet 0 ning arranged near the central portion to turn the drumupon its longitudinal axis, means to feed material to the drum, a radialplate arranged within the drum and secured,

thereto and disposed near and s aced from the outlet for providing aradia discharge tral longitudinal axis o ing to clined laterall Y towardthe out et. 0 the same, means to heat the drum, means approximately raial vanes arranged within sald passage and rotatable with the'plate,said vanes extending from points near .the openings to a point near theoutlet.

3. In apparatus of the character described, an approximately horizontaldrum provided at one end with an inlet 0 ening and at its opposite endwith an outlet opening, said outlet opening being dis osed near thecenthe drum, means to heat the drum, means to rotate the drum, means tofeed material through the inlet opening, within the drum near and spacedfrom the outlet openin and secured to the drum for rotation t erewith,said plate servprovide a radial passage and having opemngs formedtherein near its peri hery, and devices disposed within the radiapassage and serving to convey material from the openings 0 the plate tothe outlet opening. v p

4. In apparatus of the character described, an approximately horizontaldrum provided a radial plate arrangedat one end with an outlet disposedapproximately centrally thereof, means to heat the drum, means to rotatethe drum, means to feed material to the drum, ranged within the drumnear and spaced from the outlet and secured to the drum for rotationtherewith, said plate being roa radial plate ar- 'vided withopeniggsdisposed near 1ts-perlphery, and curv vanes arranged between theplate and adjacent and of the drum and adapted for rotation therewith,said vanes extending from points near the openings to a p01l1tnear theoutlet, and serving to conduct material from the lower portion of thedrum to the outlet. 5. In apparatus of the character described,

a drum dprovided at one end with an outlet arrange near the centerofsuch end, means to heat the drum, means to rotate the drum, means tofeed material to the drum, a radial plate arranged within the drum'andsecured thereto an disposed near-and spaced from the end of roviding adischarge passage, said plate emg provided near its eriphery withopenings, and -lo ngitudinal y -curved vanes arranged w1th1n saidpassage and rotatable wit the plate, said vanes, extending from pomtsnear the openings to a point near the outlet, the inner ends of thevanes being inand converging outwardly 6. In apparatus of the characterdescribed, a furnace embodyin a casing, bearing element arranged wit inthe ends of the easing, a rotatable drum arranged withinthe casing,tubes connected with the ends of the drum and operating within thebearing elethe' drum having the outletfor In testimony whereoef I aflixmy signature 0 in the presence of two witnesses;

HARRY P. BASSETT.

Witnesses W. J. MOORE, EDWARD STEWART.

